We want to be champions of Europe again to honour the Busby Babes

But as Manchester United prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash, and he approaches Sir Bobby Charlton's club appearance record, Giggs is prepared to experience the most emotional season of his career.

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Successful players like Giggs instinctively prefer to look forward at new challenges rather than back. However, this season is bound to be different with the date of February 6, 1958, set to dominate everyone's thoughts at Old Trafford over the coming months.

On that day, eight of Sir Matt Busby's famed Babes were among 23 people killed on an icy Munich runway. The tragedy could have destroyed Manchester United but the way they fought back from adversity helped make them arguably the biggest club in the world.

For Giggs, this season is not about personal glory or about United putting one over Jose Mourinho or Rafael Benitez. The challenge is how to deliver a fitting tribute for Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones,David Pegg,Tommy Taylor, Billy Whelan and Duncan Edwards.

"I think the players want to do well this season because of the anniversary and the supporters will want a big trophy because of it," said Giggs, who returned from United's pre-season tour of Asia yesterday.

"Every Manchester United player knows what Munich and the Busby Babes meant to the history of our club. Everything special about United stems back to that time. It's why we have so many fans around the world.

"To win the European Cup again this season to mark 50 years after Munich would be the most unbelievable tribute. It would be brilliant for the anniversary."

Giggs grew up in Salford hearing about the Busby Babes and his interest was enhanced by getting to know Charlton, a Munich survivor, when he joined the club at 14. As the countdown to the anniversary gets nearer, the emotion gets stronger.

"You are beginning to see a lot of video footage and read a lot about that team,and it has brought it home to me how important they were," said Giggs.

"I find it hard to imagine how the players from that time travelled and played their football.

"Back then, you had to change planes just to get to the other side of Europe. Now, we fly halfway across the world, get taken straight from the plane to the coach and get our own rooms in luxury hotels."

A third European Cup would be the perfect tribute and Giggs added: "We'd like to win another European title. We've come close since 1999 but not been able to take that extra step. We've either not quite been good enough,had injuries at the wrong time or not had that little bit of luck that you need."

United's pre-season opposition starts to move up several notches now. Last week it was FC Shenzen and Guangzhou Pharmaceutical,next up is Inter Milan and Chelsea.

Giggs is the most successful player in the club's history but has no time for self-congratulation. When he won a record ninth Premiership title in May, he immediately gave his medal to the United museum and started work on collecting No 10.

"Some people find it hard to believe I can't celebrate," he said. 'But I never look back and as soon as I had won my ninth title, I was thinking that, hopefully, I can get 10 or 11.

"It's not that I take the success for granted or am flippant or casual about it. But when I retire, I will have 40 or 50 years to look back on what I've achieved.While I'm still playing,I want to look forward."

Likewise, Giggs will not think about breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 759 United appearances even though he is only 44 behind. That could happen this season if he stays fit and Giggs is grateful that pre-seasons have changed in his time.

"It used to be a lot harder running-wise.We used to have do these massive 10-mile runs — it was a joke, really," he said with a grimace.

"It is completely different now. Everything is monitored towards the football. You used to get about eight or 10 weeks off in the summer, now it's only about a month so you don't tend to lose that much fitness.

"It does take me longer to recover so I will try anything to help me out; from ice baths to new kinds of stretching exercises."

Although United go into the new season as champions and have strengthened this summer, Giggs notes their title rivals have improved as well. 'Any of the big four teams are capable of going unbeaten for 20 games so you have to say they all have a chance," he said.

"Liverpool have signed Fernando Torres, who is exciting; Chelsea's new signing, Florent Malouda, is a good player. Our squad is stronger than it was even last year when we struggled to cope at the end with a few injuries.

"I hope we have the edge, though, because we're going in as champions. Having said that, I know from experience it's easier getting there than staying there."

Part of Giggs' success stems from the fact that he never usually looks back.

Only for the Babes of '58 is he prepared to make an exception.